To Kill an Albatross
by FellUnderTheBust
Summary: An AU based off of the GTA series (mainly San Andreas) in which Finn deals with loss and the just fascinating world of gang-wars and organized crime. How can he deal with such mayhem?
1. Introduction:

**Hello, folks! This is a slight revision of the introduction, just a little bit neater than the first go. Hopefully it helps. For all you newcomers to my story, please tell me what you think. Your opinions and input helps me grow as a writer, so a review and your continual support on this and any other story I write is well appreciated! Enjoy the story, I'll do my best to keep it coming.**

Introduction:

They had tracked him to an island found in the middle of the west ocean. It was a small piece of land, the only thing to note about it being the tall statue of a flying bird with a dead raccoon in its talons standing in the direct center of the island. It was just that, and nothing else. The man who was supposed to be here, wasn't.

It wasn't the first time such a thing had happened. They had chased this man all across Ooo, tracking him for days and sometimes weeks just to have him suddenly disappear behind a wall, or some mist, or even thin air. Sometimes there was no trace of him at all, but sometimes (rarely) he would leave something behind on purpose to taunt them. A picture of his latest victim, his ID card, a broken talon. The things he left varied, but as damning as they should have been, these clues always led them nowhere.

Finn and Jake approached the statue, examining it with curious eyes. "Ah, dang it! He can't've disappeared again." Finn the Human said, frustrated, "He's a dude with massive wings, how does he even do that? It's donkus!"

His friend, Jake the Dog, began to pat the statue with his yellow, furry paws. "Maybe he went through a portal or somethin'. This island ain't got no trees or bushes, it's really the only way he could run from us." Jake lifted himself up on the statue's pedestal and began to poke and prod at the stone bird's talons. "We should go lookin' for anomalies or whatever. Supernatural cuts in the space-time continuum. We'll find him, dude."

Finn agreed, and began to search. It didn't take long for him to realize that the search yielded nothing for them; he had walked around the island five times in the span of three minutes, with his arms outstretched and feeling around for any rips in reality. Needless to say, it was a fruitless effort. The only things on the island were Jake, himself, and the bird statue.

After ten more minutes of searching—Finn was nothing if not obnoxiously persistent—he went back to Jake, who had done nothing but lay curled up at the bird statue's sharp feet. The dog's eyes were closed, and his mouth wide open, drool seeping from his maw and snoring.

"Jake!" Finn threw up his arms in frustration, "There's nothing here but this statue and a bunch of sand!"

Jake snorted and slurped the drool back into his mouth, then struggled to roll back onto his stomach. "Huh? You mean there's _nothing?_" Finn rolled his eyes. He loved his doggie brother, he did, but sometimes Jake was _so_ frustrating to work with.

"Nada, bro. He got away again!" He side in defeat. "Well, I guess we should call Bubblegum down. There's nothing here we can find."

Bubblegum, the beautiful heiress to the Candy Kingdom business, was flying circles over the two adventures on a magnificent falcon. She had been the reason they were able to track the man in the first place; her science was second to none in all the land. Finn waved her down, and in seconds she had swooped down and landed. The falcon rubbed its beak into his wing as she looked down at them and inquired, "What's up?'

"Sorry, Bubs, we can't find him," said Finn, disappointed. "He ain't here!"

The pink girl's brow furrowed in confusion, "That doesn't make any sense. This island barelyenough for the Morrow! Hey…" She slid off of her trusted falcon and went to examine the statue. "Have you guys taken a look at this thing? It looks…weird."

Sighing, Finn shook his head, "It's just a statue, Bubblegum. There's really nothing to this thing."

She continued as if she hadn't heard him and pressed on the stone bird's breast. A square, solid block pushed inward with a grainy, grinding sound, and the statue slid back. It revealed a staircase leading downward far beneath the island. Bubblegum's hand hung in the air for a moment before retreating and pressing it to her chest, her eyes wide in surprise.

Mouths agape, Finn and Jake stared down the hole. Then they both looked at her, and she shrugged, "Clearly, you boys hadn't looked hard enough. What, I was for ten seconds?" Without waiting for a response, Bubblegum began to walk down the stairs. "Come on, you two. There's not a lot of time; we _have_ to stop this menace."

—

The stairs led them down into a dark, narrow hallway, alight only by the dull, flickering flames of candles that were hung on the walls. As they proceeded onwards, the trio nearly had to sidestep the space was the space was so small. Bubblegum lead the way, Finn and Jake close behind her.

It seemed endless, the hallway. Finn tried to peer over Bubblegum's shoulder, up on his tiptoes, but it stretched on almost infinitely, as if the end had been swallowed by the shadows. Finn fell back onto the flat of his feet and started at the ground, pensively.

"So, hey," Jake began, his head stretching far past Finn and around Bubblegum's shoulder so he could speak to her face-to-face, "What do we do when we finally see this guy?"

Bubblegum's mouth pressed into a thin line. It took her a moment to think of an answer, "I'm not sure. His charges are heinous, but my parents don't want him dead just yet." She paused to release a deep sigh, "I suppose we try to round him up and take him back to my dad. It's all we can do." The answer, even to Bubblegum, was unsatisfying. The entire land of Ooo wanted this abysmal creature to die, even the kind-hearted Finn, who always believed in second-chances.

A low rustling sound, like feathers against stone, came from deep within the hall. Everyone stopped and listened; it sounded far off, miles away, but at the same time close by. Bubblegum reached back and placed a hand on Finn's chest, as if to push him backward, but didn't move and continued to stare forward. Silence followed for a few, achingly long moments.

"Maybe it's a—" Jake began, but was cut off when a powerful gust of wind ripped through the hall, extinguishing every candle and pushing Bubblegum backward into Finn and Jake. They stood their ground, holding Bubblegum up until the wind died. "Woaaah…" Jake awed, paws covering his head. A layer of dirt had kicked up and now hung in the air, further obscuring their sight. However... Jake squinted, looking deep into the halls, "Hey! There's a light up ahead!"

It was a golden light; it shone like a tiny beacon in the distance. As they all choked on the airborne dirt, Bubblegum began to push through it. "This way, boys."

They continued near-sidestepping down the narrow passage, eyes tearing from the airborne dirt, when it opened up into a large, hand-dug cavern. It was empty, but enormous, almost like a the lobby of a five-star hotel. The only other thing notable about it was the light bulb, swinging slightly from the ceiling, illuminating a surprisingly large section of the room.

Finn groaned loudly, "He's not here either! What the plop, man?"

"He has to be nearby," said Bubblegum. "That gust didn't come from nowhere. He obviously knows we're here." She kept her gaze forward, focused, "He's just trying to psyche us out, and it won't work."

Jake was shivering, hiding behind Finn's legs, "Oh, it's workin' alright…"

Suddenly, the light went out with a loud _pop!_ and they were plunged into darkness. Bubblegum swore, sighing in frustration. Jake clung onto Finn's ankles. "Uhh…F-Finn? Somethin's here, man."

"C'mon, bro. It's just the dark," Finn soothed, "Whatever it is, it's probably just in your head."

Jake continued quaking, a small whimper escaping his jowl. Finn tried to keep from rolling his eyes, but reached for his sword anyway. It would be better to be prepared even if there was nothing than to be unprepared and have something jump out at you.

In the dark, Finn could hear Bubblegum shifting around, perhaps looking for a switch to turn the light on again. Keeping his sword pointed at the ground, Finn approached her and slammed right into her back, causing them both to stumble forward and nearly topple. "Finn!" she hissed, spinning around and grasping onto his shoulders, "Don't move! There's—someone in here with us."

The rustling noises continued, undeterred, and sounding very close to where he and his companions were standing. Finn stood completely still, lifting up his sword, ready to strike whoever was creeping around with them. He felt Jake begin to rise up, courage apparently growing fast within him, and his back pressed up against Finn's.

"You hear anything Jake?"

A growl rumbled out of Jake's maw, but he didn't say anything. Finn was about to ask again, but another gust of wind suddenly picked up. This one was particularly strong, nearly toppling Finn; he jammed his sword into the ground and held tight. Over the high pitch of the wind, Finn could hear the sound of heavily beating wings.

Bubblegum cried out in something that sounded like near-terror, "It's him!" The room suddenly lit up, the source of the light seemingly nonexistent, revealing a terrifyingly huge creature. He was tall, needing to stoup over because the dirt ceiling was still too low for his stature, and he had a set of large, feathery wings that were as black as his jet hair. A toothy smirk split his grotesquely scarred, beaked face, and he lifted up a hand fitted with razor sharp talons.

"Hey guys," said the bird creature, curling his talons in a wave, "It's so nice of you to stop by. It gets lonely around here," He gazed around his underground home, the smirk never leaving his disgusting face, "My cousin never stops by to see me anymore. Isn't that messed up?"

"Mr. Albatross," Bubblegum began, taking a step back, "You need to come back to Candy Kingdom and face the consequences of your actions!"

The bird creature seemed mildly surprised, his wings gently flapping. He stooped down lower and stepped close to Bubblegum, his beak touching her nose, "What have I done? I can't think of anything I ever did wrong to your parents or their business."

"Seriously?" Jake deadpanned, his arms raised as if he were challenged to fisticuffs. Mr. Albatross chuckled almost modestly. "Dude, you literally left a blood trail to your crimes!"

Finn approached him, the tip of his blade mere inches from Mr. Albatross' face. The taller being seemed unfazed by his unsaid threat, and with a sharp talon, he pushed the golden-plated sword away. "That might be, dog, but I know you didn't come here to kill me. What I've done is cruel, and I'll continue on my path as sure as the Nightosphere is chaotic," He jabbed a razor sharp talon at Bubblegum, "But I'm too valuable to your parents to just up and die." His tone was so sure and smug that Finn was fighting so hard not to skewer him right there. "What kind of name is Candy Kingdom for your family business anyway? It doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of your clients."

A rumbling laugh squawked out of Mr. Albatross' chest; if laughing was ever considered a crime, then it would add another three miles to Albatross' rap sheet. In all of Finn's experiences with him, the birdman had laughed entirely too much. Bubblegum sneered at him, "I'm sure they'll understand if we say we were forced to neutralize you…"

Even more laughter; he was mocking them now, "Is that so? Well, I'm sure you would get away with that, if you could even manage to touch me." Mr. Albatross' wings began to spread out.

Jake, sensing danger, stretched out his arms and wrapped Mr. Albatross in a rope-like embrace, even managing to trap his wings. Surprised, Albatross immediately began to struggle to free himself, growling and squawking in frustration. "If you guys are gonna do somethin'," Jake began, already straining to keep a grip on the birdman, "you gotta do it fast! Yeeouch!" A talon dug into one of his arms.

"Finn," Bubblegum cried, "We can't let this guy go to my parents. He'll just escape them again!" He knew what she was getting at, and he was all too ready to follow her next command, "You need to end his life now. You'll be doing the world a service if you—"

It was too late—Albatross was too strong for Jake. With a single beat of his wings, he was freed, and Jake's limbs fell like wet spaghetti. Dark chortles erupted from deep within his throat, but it was clear he wasn't at all happy. "I would _love_ to see you try to kill me, Finn Mertins." He took a step toward the boy, reaching his talons out toward him, "Make the first move."

Noodle arms wobbled wildly around Albatross' feet, then wound around his ankles and bound them together. Jake held tight as the birdman tried to move, only to trip over the arms and fall, banging his beak against the ground. "Finn, do it now!" he called, almost panicking, "I can't hold him forever!"

Finn lifted his sword and brought it down hard. He missed—Albatross rolled to the right and managed to dodge the stab. When the blade sunk into the dirt, he grabbed it by the hilt, his talons digging deep into Finn's delicate skin. Blood seeped from the puncture wounds, Finn shrieked and tried to pull his hands away.

With a single jerk, he ripped the sword out of Finn's grasp and threw it aside. Finn looked at his hands; the cuts were deep and ragged, blood practically pouring from them. It stung, and throbbed so painfully, but he squeezed his hands into fists, and roared at Albatross—but his voice quickly died when, over Albatross' manic laughter, he could hear pained whimpers.

Bubblegum gasped in shock and dismay, all the color draining from face "J-Jake!" Finn looked; his jaw dropped, and tears welled up in his eyes. A sword, Finn's sword, had stuck itself deep inside of Jake's chest. By the look of it, he hadn't anticipated Albatross' counter attack, and couldn't move out of the way in time. Now he lay crumpled on the floor, a pool of red forming beneath his writhing body.

A sick feeling, like a ball of tangled moss, nestled itself in Finn's gut. "_Jake!_" Albatross' laughter reached an insane crescendo as Finn went over to his fallen comrade. "Jake, Jake, it's all right, I'm right here buddy." He picked the whimpering dog up into his arms and hugged him close. His blue shirt was stained red too quickly, and tears began to spill down his cheeks. "Come on, buddy. Stay with me. We can get you help."

"Help," Mr. Albatross roared manically, "is far beyond the dog or _any _of you!" His wings extended, threatening to sweep them close to the insane man. Finn squeezed Jake and rolled out of his reach.

Bubblegum ran passed Finn, picking him up by the collar of his shirt, "Finn, we have to go!" She pulled him up and, numbly, he followed her.

They ran back into the narrow corridor, Finn still hugging Jake close. Bubblegum still grasped tightly on Finn's shirt, having to drag him through the closed passage, with Albatross close at their heels. She could hear the manic birdman seething with fury because he couldn't quite reach them. The passage was far too confined. His large wings kept him from moving swiftly, and though his reach was far, it still fell short and he could only manage to just miss Finn and instead grab a fistful of dirt.

Still, Bubblegum could only pick up the pace, wanting to put as much distance between them and the crazed mass of feathers as possible.

Finally, they reached the stairs. She dragged Finn up, knowing that for every step she took, Jake's blood marred their path. Bubblegum let out a caw, her voice echoing upward, and her falcon cried back. It landed right in front of the open passageway, its backside facing them. She hoisted Finn and Jake together onto its back, then climbed on herself.

"Hey! Where are you kids going?" As the falcon took flight, Mr. Albatross finally squeezed through to the outside. "Aww, going so soon? You're just like my cousin! One little fatality, and you're just _gone!_" Instead of chasing after them, however, Albatross let them flee, already satisfied with the damage he had done. A smirk curled his beak, sharp teeth poking out from his lips, "Just one tiny death, and you don't want to play anymore! Typical!"

The falcon screeched as it picked up speed. Finn held Jake, who was now too weak from blood loss to even kick his hind legs. Bubblegum looked back at the two, a look of sorrow showing on her face. "Finn…" she started, but Finn wasn't listening.

"C'mon buddy, just hang in there." He didn't dare try to remove the sword. Doing so, he feared, may doom his friend further. "We can get you help." Finn hiccupped, now only trying to convince himself that there was hope for his friend.

Jake opened his eyes just a crack, took a look at Finn, and mumbled quietly, "Eh…F-Finn…I…" He tried to reach up and touch Finn's face, but the paw only just barely reached him before suddenly falling limp against his bloodied chest again.

"What was that, buddy?" Finn tried, but Jake didn't answer. His eyes had shut again, and try as he might Finn couldn't get him to wake up. "Jake?" he blubbered, "Come on, man, don't do this to me. You can't go!"

Bubblegum tried to ignore Finn's desperate tries to wake his already gone friend. She stared straight forward, guiding her falcon back to the mainland. However, it soon became too much for her to bare, and tears began to sting her eyes. They spilled over quickly, and she was powerless to stop them. "I-I'm sorry, Finn, Jake." Her voice was quiet and broken, "I never should have brought you into this..."

The falcon continued to soar, undeterred by the emotions of its passengers. It released a mighty caw, and continued flying toward land.


	2. 5 Years Later

**So, I just recently heard that Bubbline is canon now! That's some pretty epic news, amirite? Heh, I always knew there was something there.**

**Anyway, enjoy this next chapter! I don't like fishing for reviews, but they really do help me out a lot. How am I to know if I'm doing something wrong or right otherwise? Please and thank you!**

**EDIT: I made a very rookie mistake when I posted this a few hours ago. Since I am literally up to nothing today, I decided to fix it while I had the time. The mistake: WHERE THE HELL DOES FINN LIVE NOW?**

**00-00**

5 years later…

Cosmic City hadn't been his first choice; at first, Finn had opted to live the rest of his days in the woods. It worked out for a while, but Finn found out swiftly that life in the forest wasn't the most easygoing way to do it. He still felt the need to help people, even while his mind was clouded with sorrow. So he moved into a small town that the locals called "The Wrangle".

It wasn't a pleasant experience. Not only was his time spent there uneventful, but the food they had there tasted…funky, in all the wrong ways. When he left The Wrangle, he did so with a mysterious itchiness in his pants that he later found out to be a rare species of tiny, blue ants that feasted on flesh.

Needless to say, Finn never wanted to return to The Wrangle ever again.

He tried a few more small towns, but quickly discovered that small towns weren't the best places for adventuring or hero work. So, after about a year of searching, he found a vague form of sanctuary in the large, bustling metropolis that was Cosmic City. It was several hundred miles away from Ooo, but that was one of the reasons why he loved it.

Although to any tourist the place was sunny and welcoming, the people who lived there were all in desperate need of help, and Finn found work very quickly. His first employer, a bipedal rat named Sheryll, had supplied him with his apartment. It was in a decent part of town with little criminal activity. Finn was slightly disappointed at that; waking up in the middle of the night to deal with a burglar or three was one of his favorite things to do back in Ooo.

As time went by, Sheryll had become pleased with his work and had referred him to a few of her friends, and by the end of his first year in the city Finn was making more than enough money to do as he pleased, although the only thing he did when not on the job was sit around on an ugly green mattress, stuff his face with pizza, and sleep his free time away.

For five years it had been that way. Work, eat pizza, sleep. A routine that kept his mind busy enough to not think about certain _things_ that liked to hang around in his head while he dreamed. Then something broke the routine.

A piercing ring jarred Finn out of sleep. He snorted, wiped the grease and drool off of his face, and rolled over onto his side to face the phone. It was a rotary phone, one that Bubblegum had given him before he left so they could stay in touch. He couldn't remember a single time where he had used it for such a purpose.

He pushed himself up onto his elbow, staring with blurred vision at the ringing telephone. Since he had moved here it had only rung a total of four times; most of the calls had been from Bubblegum, and had occurred in the same month. She appeared to have learned quickly, because she never called again after that. The fourth call had been from a nearby pizza joint asking if he was all right because he hadn't placed an order in over a week. His employers had a different method for contacting him—it was to break into his home and drag him to their headquarters.

Now the phone was ringing again, for the fifth time. It was early in the morning—Finn quickly glanced at his clock—okay, it was the afternoon, but no one ever really called him because hardly anyone had his number. He sighed and got up from bed. There was a 50/50 chance that it was either Bubblegum or the pizza place. He had hoped it was the latter, but he had placed an order just last night and could think of no reason they would call him.

Approaching the phone, he answered it. "H-hello?" his voice was hoarse and cracked. Phlegm clogged his chest-not only did he love milk, but he loved to sleep with his mouth wide open—and it was difficult for him to speak properly. He coughed harshly and tried again, "Hello," That one didn't sound much better, but at least he could be understood. "Who's this?"

"Finn," Oh, Glob. It was Bubblegum. "Hey, it's good to hear from you again."

"You called me," said Finn, the fatigue clear in his voice. "Do you need something, Bubblegum?"

There was a short pause. Someone's voice on the other line urged the bubblegum woman to keep going. "It's…it's Joshua, Finn." There was a grimness to her tone, like she didn't want to continue. "I know you want to be alone, with all the things that's happened but—he's dying, Finn. He wants to talk to you before he, erm, goes…"

Finn's heart sank into his stomach, and he felt sick. He couldn't remember ever keeping in contact with his father, or even calling him once since Jake had—well, he hadn't called his father in five years. Guilt hit him like a punch in the gut, and the person who had punched him was a pro boxer with titanium biceps.

"I know this isn't the news you need right now," said Bubblegum, "and I know that you haven't gotten any better since our last encounter with Mr. Albatross. But it's been five years, Finn. Your father needs you. And being away clearly hasn't helped you any. Won't you please come back?"

How she was able to tell how he had or hadn't gotten any better was beyond Finn, and he was about to call her out on it when he heard the dial tone suddenly shriek in his ears. He set the phone back onto the receiver. It would appear that even if he hadn't wanted to return home after that, he had no choice in the matter anyway. She expected him to be there and that was that.

Finn sighed and returned to his bed, "Ah, geez," he groaned as he sat back down. The ugly, bright green mattress squealed beneath his weight. A few broken springs poked his rump, but he had learned to ignore the flaws of his beloved mattress.

A bird cawed somewhere outside. Finn tensed and turned toward the window; the day was sunny, bright, and happy, like always. It was an exact contrast to his mood, but then the weather around here always had been. A crow was perched on a branch just outside of his window. It pecked gently at the glass, peering inside at Finn. He glowered at the filthy, feathered thing. It crowed again, waving its wings at him as if in challenge, then flew off.

He didn't know why he picked Cosmic City of all places to hide away; this place was full of gross birds of all kinds, but mostly the aggressive, carnivorous ones. At least it was a decent enough place to live; even the slums had those annoyingly friendly neighbors to somewhat brighten his day. If only the place would experience more than one season.

Finn wiped his nose and stood back up; obviously, Bubblegum was expecting him, and if his father was as unwell as she said, then he was going to waste no time.

The way home was easy enough to plan. A train made rounds from here back to Ooo in twelve hours flat. All Finn had to worry about was what exactly he should pack for the trip, and even that much was easy; he had nothing but the rotary phone and the ugly mattress.

When he got on the train, the car he had boarded was mostly empty. A werewolf in a fedora sat on his haunches by one of the doors, appearing to be asleep. His fur was black, but was greying with age around his chest and tummy. His muzzle probably showed grey as well, but his face was covered by the down-turned fedora. Finn sat down, his bag placed between his feet, and leaned back, the back of his head against the window.

Deep rumbles shook him from beneath, and the train screeched to a stop again. Finn's eyes fluttered open, squinting against a dull glow. It was dark in the train car now. A full moon glowed inside, illuminating the inside of the train. Finn straightened up, rubbing the back of his neck. He couldn't remember going to sleep; how long had it been?

Something warm wriggled beneath his hand. Finn glanced down at his lap and his eyes grew wide, astonished at what he saw. "J-Jake…?"

The dog looked as young as he did when he had passed that fateful day inside Mr. Albatross' lair. Finn still had a very clear image in his head of burying his life-long companion behind his old family home, and yet here Jake was, cuddling against Finn's thigh as he would on cold weekend mornings. At the sound of his name, Jake's ear lifted up, then he looked up at Finn sleepily, "Uh? A-are we there yet?" The dog yawned, his mouth stretching out far.

Finn looked out the window; there was a wide stretch of forest lighted by the glow of the moon. The train wasn't moving, but this certainly didn't look like Ooo. "I don't think so, dude."

Shifting, Jake rolled over onto his back so Finn could scratch his belly, "Well, wake me up when we're there. Adventuring makes me mad tired, bro."

A frown curled Finn's lips downward; they hadn't adventured today, or any day since…he sighed sorrowfully as he realized he was stuck in another dream. These kinds of dreams happened far too frequently for his liking. He closed his eyes and tried to will Jake's image away.

"Hey, could you rub my belly? It helps me sleep."

"I know it does, buddy." Finn's voice was quiet and rough. His heart ached and he wanted to wake up, but the image of Jake was persistent. Tears began to sting his eyes, and he relented. Jake's fur felt so warm and real, and knowing he was just in another lucid dream made it hurt far more than it should have. Finn scratched his late brother's stomach for what seemed like hours until the train started up again. The wheels screeched as they came back to life, and the engine chugged and propelled the massive hunk of metal.

Finn stared down at Jake's apparition, still trying hard to force him out of him mind. He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, and waited for the warmth beneath his hand to disappear. It never did, but when Finn opened his eyes again, frustrated with his grief, he noticed that the image of Jake had disappeared. Laying in his place was the head of the werewolf from earlier, quietly sleeping.

"Hey!" Finn stood up abruptly, causing the snoozing werewolf to topple over. "What the drizz, man? You can't do that to folks!"

The aging canine blinked up at him in surprise. His fedora had fallen off his head and landed far away from him at the other side of the car. Finn glowered at him, his teeth gritted, and the werewolf stood up slowly. "M-my apologies. I didn't mean to bother you, but you seemed upset." His voice was quiet, almost withdrawn, "I only did as my instincts told me to help you feel better. I'm a canine, you see."

"That's creepy, dude." Finn wasn't at all soothed by his words. "You don't go putting your face into strangers' laps. They'll think you're freaky!"

Whimpering, the werewolf's ears fell flat against his head, "Again, I-I'm sorry." He went over to pick up his fedora and placed it back over his ears. Ashamedly, he squatted back down with his gaze downcast. Finn continued to frown.

The train slowed to a complete stop minutes later. Finn glanced out to see the darkened view of Ooo Station—a gated, grassy area with more trees than should be necessary for a modern train station. The grey concrete slab that was the only platform wasn't a good contrast to the green nature that surrounded it. A single person stood under a broken, flickering platform light—it was Bonnibel Bubblegum.

Of course she would be there, although he had never told her whether or not he'd be coming back. She was standing next to what appeared to be…a car? She never rode in those, as she would call them, "steel deathtraps on wheels". Finn grabbed his back, slung it over his shoulder, and exited the train.

As he approached Bubblegum, he noticed a few things; the first thing being that she apparently hadn't aged a single day since he had left. She looked almost exactly the same. Her hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail, but was just as long and neat (and gummy) as it had been five years ago. As for her face, it was as flawless as ever, as far as he could see in the dark. However, she had acquired a different sense of fashion. He had never known her to wear black leather jackets, although her usual pink flare was hidden beneath the tanned hide. Strange, he mused, how leather went really well with a pink shirt and white pants.

When she saw him approach, a happy smile stretched her lips. She met him halfway and threw her arms around him in a tight hug, "Hey, it's good to see you." Finn returned the hug earnestly. It'd been too long since he had last seen her. When he had last checked, she was much taller than he was. Finn was two feel taller than her now.

"Yeah," he chuckled nervously, breaking off the hug. "You too. When did you get a car?"

"Oh, it's not mine," She patted the top of the car. Finn glanced inside and saw someone sitting in the driver seat. He couldn't make out exactly who it was, but they were drumming their hands against the steering wheel as the dull thumps of a musical beat pulsed through the car. "Are you ready? Your father is waiting for you."

She opened the door for him and Finn climbed into the backseat. Bubblegum took his bag and went to put it in the trunk. The car door slammed shut, and Finn was immediately greeted by the noise of rock music. The person sitting in the driver seat, he realized, was another woman he hadn't met before. Her hair was long, thick and black, and it covered the side of her face like a curtain.

Her hands continued to drum against the steering wheel to the beat of the music, but she glanced back at him through the rearview mirror. "Wassap, dude. You're Finn?" Finn nodded silently, looking at her eyes through the mirror. They were a bright, piercing crimson that cut through the blackness in the car, and besides her hair they were the only discernable thing about her that he could see at the moment. "Huh," she hummed, "Thought you'd be taller."

The passenger door opened and Bubblegum slid into the seat. "All right, we're all set. Let's head out."

"Right on," The red-eyed woman shifted the car into gear, and the car lurched forward. Finn remained silent, hands resting on his lap, as the car drove down the dirt road.

For the first few minutes of driving, there was no talking. Trees passed them by on both sides, while the moon hung above them, following their every turn. When the tires jumped from dirt to concrete and they finally made it out of the woods, Bubblegum spoke up, "It's good that you're here, Finn," her voice was startlingly loud in the car, even with the low-volume music still playing, "Things have been…difficult since you left. On Joshua especially."

In all honesty, Finn wasn't looking forward to seeing his dad. Sick and dying in a hospital bed, probably weak and too tired to stand on his own. Fear clenched in his chest, and he mumbled to himself.

"Finn?"

"Yeah, I know."

Too soon, the car pulled up to a large building that Finn recognized as the hospital. He hadn't realized ever entering the city, but apparently they had. Small houses replaced the trees, asphalt instead of dirt, and only a few bushes speckled the ground.

The car's engine died and the woman pulled the keys from the ignition. "You ready, dude?"

_No_, he thought. After five years of avoiding his troubles, seeing his father about to die was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't have the option to run off again, though, and even if he did the thought of leaving his father to die was less appealing than the former choice. So, with a dreadful sigh, Finn opened his door and stepped out.

He only hoped Joshua wasn't still angry with him.


	3. Say Hi to Daddy

**Welcome back! I hope my story has proved entertaining so far. I'll do my best to keep this updating up, and hopefully my brain doesn't burn out from all the constant writing I'm doing X3 As always, please let me know what you think of my story. Your input really helps me out as a writer, and I greatly appreciate you guys reading my story.**

**That being said, enjoy the chapter.**

**000**

Say Hi to Daddy

When Finn had seen his father last, their conversation hadn't been pleasant. Far from it, actually. It went something like "If you ever come back to Ooo, don't expect me to come see you. In fact, don't even come see me. Now run, it's all you're ever good for."

Now that he thought about it, Finn had left his old home feeling the exact opposite of pleasant, perhaps even worse than unpleasant. He and Joshua hadn't spoken since then, and even though for some reason Joshua wanted him back he had to use Bubblegum to tell him. Still, he wanted Finn back nevertheless, and he had to wonder why.

Upon entering the hospital, Finn was immediately recognized. The nurse, a tall tentacle man covered in tar, was manning the counter. His arms started out normal from the shoulder, but ended in a single tentacle for hands. The nurse's face was featureless, save for a pair of eyes and two holes beneath them for nostrils. Hopefully, he only worked the counter. Finn couldn't see a scary looking man like him having very good bedside manners.

The nurse saw him and quickly waved him over. "Your father's in the ICU. Follow me." He quickly turned a corner and disappeared down the hall. Finn blinked at the nurse's swiftness. It made worry grow heavy in his gut; his father must be in a bad way if the staff was in such a rush to get him in there so late after visiting hours.

When they reached the door to the ICU, the nurse immediately began to punch in the door code. Before he opened the door, he turned to Finn, concern showing in his oddly spaced, discolored eyes, "I should warn you, what you see could really…upset you." He paused, glancing down at the floor, "He really should be dead by now. No one's really sure what's keeping him alive, but he's certainly not the dog you used to know." The nurse placed what was to be a soothing tentacle on his shoulder, "I, uh, just thought you should know before you head in."

The nurse left Finn at the door. He peeked into the room and saw a bed with a bunch of tubes and wires attached to a patient. He couldn't see who it was beneath the stark white blanket, but he knew just who it could be. His heart heavy, Finn entered the room.

An odd pump looking thing was hissing as it pushed up and down, sounding much like labored breathing. Finn slowly made his way toward the bed, trying hard not to make any noise as he moved. "What're you doin' boy?" The fast-talking, oldies voice of his father rang through his ears, startling him. Finn froze, feet rooted to the floor. "Come on over here and see your pappy while you still can."

He didn't want to. Finn was scared of what his father would look like, and even the twelve hour trip plus the short drive here wasn't enough time to prepare for whatever he would see. He approached his father's bedside and pulled some of the covers back. Joshua was skin and bones. His fur had fallen out until there were only a few incredibly thin patches left, and his ribs and hips were visible beneath his pale skin. Joshua wheezed, breathing into a plastic mask that was hooked into the oxygen pump.

"Ah…" Joshua breathed, his sickly red eyes turning up to look at Finn, "There you are, boy. It's been a while. You've grown!" He chuckled, sounding like he had fluid in his lungs.

Finn gave an uneasy smile, "Uh, hi Dad. How're you doing?"

"Never better!" Joshua let out what must have been a mix between a wet wheeze and a laugh, "Your pappy's still goin' strong, considering his condition. Where'e you been, sonny?"

"Cosmic City," His voice was slightly strained. Finn tapped the tips of his fingers together. "Look, Dad…I'm sorry I left. I was just…"

"Don't explain yourself to me," Joshua interjected, "I know things been hard for you. It has been for everyone since you left." He hacked, causing Finn to wince, "But it's good that you're here now."

"Why did you call me back?" Joshua and Finn had never been close. Finn was only the adopted child, one that had been his mother's idea in the first place. Joshua hadn't let him forget that while he was growing up. While Finn was sure that he wasn't trying to be mean-spirited, it didn't stop the cuts from running too deep. When he had told his father that he was leaving, Joshua had been furious about it. He had yelled, screamed even, at Finn for his selfish behavior in such times of grief, and straight out turned his back on Finn. Now, though…

There was a pregnant pause, broken only by the hisses of the breathing machine. Joshua placed a paw on Finn's shaking fingers, "I simply wanted you around again, son. I'm not long for this world, but as long as I'm still here I want to spend every moment possible with you."

"What about Jermaine?" Jake's eldest brother, a scruffy wash about with very little to his name, had strangely enough always been kind to Finn in the short time he had known him. Jermaine was old enough to be on his own by the time Finn arrived, and had left soon after, with Joshua never mentioning a word of him ever again.

His question went unanswered. The grip on Finn's fingers tightened as a particularly heavy wheeze shuddered through Joshua's weakened lungs. Finn cringed and squeezed his father's paw. "Finn…" he hacked, "Would you mind staying with your pappy for tonight?

Surprised gripped Finn then. It was an odd request to come from someone like Joshua, but considering he was so sick…Finn supposed such a request wasn't so unbelievable. "Uh, yeah, sure. Lemme just…go tell Bubblegum. I'll be right back." _Please don't die while I'm gone…_ Finn tacked on the last bit in his head, feeling as if a darkening cloud was forming over his head, ready to drench him when given the chance.

A weak, balding paw waved at him dismissively, "Sure, sure…just hurry back, lad."

Finn quickly left the hospital room. He made outside in no time at all, and saw the car idling just in front of the building. Bubblegum was leaning against the car, this time alongside the red-eyed woman, who also leaned with just a tad more nonchalance than the other. When he came out they both turned to look at him. Bubblegum was the first to speak up, "Is he-?"

"He's fine, and he wants me to stay here with him tonight. So, you guys can go home, I'll just stay here." His words came out in a barely understandable rush, sounding more like 'hesfinehewantsewrnfewfvn". In other words, gibberish. The two woman seemed to understand him though, and both nodded.

"Whaddoya say, Bonnibel?" The red-eyed woman (how had Finn not gotten her name, yet?) turned toward Bubblegum with a tired smile, "Let's call it a night? I'm bushed." She leaned heavily against Bubblegum's side, who seemed unfazed by the woman's added weight.

"I suppose so," Bubblegum agreed, "Are you sure you don't want us to stay, in case they, y'know, kick you out?"

"Nah. It's chill. They won't kick me out."

Bubblegum seemed skeptical, but the red-eyed woman beside her simply nudged her elbow with her knuckle, and that was all it took to convince her. "All right. Be careful Finn, Ooo's been…different since you left. A lot more people, dangerous people, have taken to living here since you've been gone." She pulled him into another hug, "Be safe,"

The two women climbed into the car and they drove off. Finn watched, surprised at the news she had just given him. Dangerous people? He looked around; it was quiet tonight, and besides a few hospital staff roaming around, there wasn't anyone awake for miles. He shrugged her warning off and went back inside.

When Finn returned to Joshua's room, the elderly dog was fast asleep. His breaths were steady, if a little ragged, and he actually appeared peaceful, less sickly. The tentacle-nurse-dude was standing just above them, checking his vitals and making notes. It looked awkward, writing with a single tentacle for a hand, but the nurse seemed to manage it just fine. After feeling Joshua's pulse and marking one more thing down, the nurse looked up, "There you are. I was wondering where you went."

"I just went outside for a bit," Finn explained, "I'm here to stay for tonight. Dad's orders."

"Of course," said the nurse. The hospital staff were alarmingly lenient, Finn noticed. Far more than they ever were before. Finn had been put in the hospital too many times to count before he had left, and due to privacy and recovery reasons, his friends and even his family were barely allowed to see him. Especially when he was in the ICU. "There's a seat by the door, you can pull it up. I'll go get you some blankets."

At least they were nice. Finn got the chair and pulled it up to the bed. His chin in his palms, Finn watched his father as he slept. It was weird to see him like this, so weak and actually in need of help. Besides Jake, Joshua was the strongest person he had ever known. What would Mom say, to see him like this now?

Minutes passed as if they were hours. Though Finn had grown tired he refused to sleep, worried that if he did he would wake up looking at another dead family member. Even if it didn't happen that way, he was still shook up about his earlier dream on the train. He rubbed his eyes, realizing that he couldn't keep awake by himself much longer. He noticed a TV hung up just above the bed; it was already on, but muted. It was turned onto a news channel, and a middle-aged owl was onscreen.

Subtitles appeared on the screen as the owl spoke.

_"…unknown suspect fled the scene earlier today. She is described as female, less than five feet tall, and with a broad pair of wings. Her species is currently unknown, but the police speculate that she is a member of the Feather Flock tribe. Even so, keep a lookout for any suspicious activity from any of your winged companions. Not myself included of course, hoo hoo…_

_ "In related news, the recent immigration of escaped convicts in Ooo have left its cities in turmoil. While the more common fugitives have taken to petty theft and acts of violence, the more infamous, such as the currently untraceable Alice Condor of the aforementioned Feather Flock tribe, have gone into hiding, presumably pulling at the strings of the larger, more visible crime groups. Until this epidemic is under control, we urge you to stay off the streets at night and if you must leave your home, be safe."_

The TV went off abruptly. Finn jerked into an upright position, nearly lifting himself off of his seat, "Wha-what happened to the TV? I was watching that!"

"_Shush!_"

Finn spun around—it was the tentacle nurse. He held the TV remote curled in one of his tentacles, and a blanket and pillow wrapped in the other.

"It's time for sleep. Hospital policy now is lights out at twelve. Sorry, but it's for the safety of the patients." He handed Finn the pillow and blanket, "It's for the best that you get some rest now. The doctors are willing to let you stay here, but only if you go to sleep right away. Good night, sir." The nurse turned and left, leaving an odd trail of slime in his wake.

The lights shut off just a moment later, leaving Finn in the dark. The oxygen pump continued to hiss, his father's lungs still wheezing lightly as he slept. Finn pulled the blanket up to his chin, slouching to get comfortable. The blanket made him feel itchy, but the chair was surprisingly a step up from the bed he owned in Cosmic City.

Being home was already feeling different and weird; Finn and Jake had done a great job of keeping crime off the streets in all corners of Ooo, and Finn leaves for just five years and suddenly all that hard work just goes away? Perhaps he'd been grieving for too long…

His eyelids began to droop. Finn focused his attention back onto his father, watching the dog's chest rise and fall at a relatively steady pace. He smiled. Home had certainly changed since he had been away, but it was really good to be back.

Bubblegum woke feeling rather drained. The thought of any activity that didn't involve her bed, sleeping, or any combination of the two was unappealing, but in the back of her sleepy mind she knew that there were things to do today. She turned over, vowing to attempt to get out of bed in the next five or ten minutes. Her hand stretched out to feel across the other side of the large mattress and grasped a handful of cool bed sheet.

Confused, Bubblegum lifted her head. Through bleary eyes, she saw that the space beside her was empty, and by the feel of the sheets, had been for a while_. Oh good_, she thought to herself, _now I _have_ to get up._

With a tired sigh, Bubblegum managed to drag herself out of bed. Cool air kissed her skin; winter was finally settling in, she really had to start wearing warmer clothes than a tank top and shorts to bed. She wandered out of the bedroom and stumbled into the dining area. As she had expected, it was empty, as the rest of the apartment probably would be.

_Great_…now she was probably going to have to work through today all by herself. It wouldn't be too bad, but dealing with every little thing by herself felt too much like a chore and she would prefer not to do it alone. _Oh well,_ she thought. This appeared to be the hand she was dealt today, and she was going to have to deal with it whether she liked it or not. As it would turn out, she not only disliked it, but she loathed it with a passion.

As she dressed, Bubblegum flipped on the television. It had already been tuned onto a show about ghost hunting. The people who hosted it were as follows—a twat-ish lizard man in a douchey baseball cap, some kind of purple mist that for some reason didn't qualify himself as a ghost, and some kind of creature who looked like he was birthed out of a giant nose. They all went about trying to convince everyone of an already globally known truth—ghosts exist!

Bubblegum wanted to strangle all of them—or just the lizard one, and maybe introduce the misty one to a fan or some kind of vacuuming device. She wouldn't so much as touch the blobby snot man. Maybe that would be insult enough. She really didn't understand why Marceline liked these shows.

Midway through dressing, the phone rang. Bubblegum pulled on a red shirt and went to answer it.

_"Bonnibel!"_ A high, shriek voice yelled into her ear the moment she picked up the phone. Bubblegum held the phone away for a second, pulling a pained face as her ear rang. _"Bonnibel, where've you been?"_

Hesitant to answer, Bubblegum held the phone to her chest. The voice continued to needlessly shriek out questions quicker than she would have been able to answer them. After composing herself, she brought the phone back up to her ear; the woman was still shrieking. "Mom, please calm down. What are you trying to say to me?"

_"Where have you been, young lady!"_

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. They had spoken only three days ago, and her mother got antsy whenever she hadn't heard from her for a few hours. It was annoying, but Bubblegum usually didn't mind calling her more than once every day. However, her new job has kept her busy and unable to make or take calls.

Her mother continued her rant without allowing Bubblegum enough time to answer. _"You haven't answered any of my calls, I've been so worried! Have you even seen the news? It's not safe in Ooo anymore, missy."_

"I know, Mom. I've been careful—"

_"What have you been doing this whole time?"_ her mother demanded.

"I've been staying with Marceline, I'm fine."

A frightened gasp came from the other end of the phone, _"Lord Abadeer's daughter!?"_

"Yes, Mom, you've known this for three years. It's fine. You're obviously hysterical right now, could you put Dad on?"

There was an indignant scoff, and her mother began another tangent, _"I am not hysterical! I am sixty-three years old and I've been running this business by myself for forty! Your father is a fat, lazy excuse of a man, so how could you even think that he would be…"_

Bubblegum carefully set the phone down on the counter. That should keep her mother going for at least a half hour. She went back to getting ready.

Someone began knocking on the door as she was putting her makeup on. Irritated at the constant interruptions, Bubblegum set her brush down and went to answer it. She passed the phone on her way—her mother's high-pitched voice was still chattering about her father; that would probably last another twenty minutes. When she opened the door, her irritation grew when she saw that no one was there.

She glanced down and saw a small envelop resting at the welcome mat ('GO F**K YOURSELF' it said. Oh, Marceline.) A purple wax seal had been pressed onto the front; the initials _H.A. _were visible in the center of the seal. She picked up the envelope and went back inside.

After checking to see if her mother was still going on about her father (she was, quite brutally too), Bubblegum decided it was time to check the mail. She knew it was from Marceline's father—he was the only one besides the billing companies that ever sent Marceline anything, and the seal was proof enough anyway. She popped open the envelope and pulled the letter out.

_Dearest Marceline and Girlfriend,_

_ It's come to Daddy's attention that you and the Bubblegum thing have been caught on the wrong side of the tracks again. Such an unfortunate circumstance, but not to worry. Daddy's taken care of things for you. But I must warn you; even my power has its limits, and I can't protect you forever. You two simply must be more careful; the Feather Flock is already watching you. I can't imagine what would happen if the side still loyal to _him_ were to find out what you two are up to._

_ Speaking of, I have a pleasant surprise for the both of you. You'll be moving again, in the next two weeks! I've already got a new place ready for you, and it's a spitting image of the place you already reside in. The only issue is it's in the next town over, and I don't believe you'll be able to bring all of your possessions with you this time. It's for the best, I assure you._

_ I've placed more cash in your account in case you should need it. Take care, the both of you._

_ Your loving father and future father-in-law, Hudson Abadeer._

The last bit caused Bubblegum's cheeks to heat up just a bit. He was oddly presumptuous about the future their relationship. Secondly, he was forcing them to move _again?_ To another town, no less! She could understand his concern, but she thought they were doing fine with their work. She sighed and picked up the phone again. Just in time too—her mother had just finished ranting. She replied with her usual, well-rehearsed response, "Well Mom, I'm sorry to hear that, but I've been too busy to really help."

_"I know you have been, dearie. It's not your fault. I really wish your father would see it that way,"_ there was a long, deep sigh, _"Unfortunately, he's had his hopes on you taking over since you were born."_

She knew that; taking over the family business had been literally the reason why she had been conceived in the first place. "Y-yeah…Uh, Mom," Bubblegum rubbed the back of her neck nervously, wondering how she should say it, "I have some news."


End file.
